Carnival Cruise Line, the number one cruise line for families carrying 800,000 kids a year, earned Best Children’s Program, while Carnival Fantasy was named Most Improved Ship in Cruiseline.com’s annual Members’ Choice Awards. The awards are best on feedback from Cruiseline.com readers who are asked to rate cruise lines in a variety of product- and service-related categories.

Carnival earned Best Children’s Programs honors for its popular family-friendly offerings which include fun, supervised programs for kids in three age groups – Camp Ocean (2-11), Circle “C” (12-14) and Club O2 (15-17) – along with its exclusive Seuss at Sea program operated in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and expansive water parks fleetwide. The line’s ships also feature all-ages activities like Hasbro, The Game Show with larger-than-life adaptations of the company’s iconic games, family-friendly comedy shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club, 24-hour pizza and ice cream in its Lido restaurants.

Carnival Fantasy was named Most Improved Ship for its wide variety of onboard offerings that were added during dry dock, including Guy’s Burger Joint developed in tandem with Food Network star Guy Fieri, the Mexican-themed BlueIguana Cantina serving authentic tacos and burritos, and the poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar. Carnival Fantasy operates four- to eight-day cruises from Mobile, Ala., visiting popular destinations throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Central America.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, today unveiled the design of the new and dedicated Norwegian Cruise Line terminal at PortMiami. The terminal at PortMiami represents the continued relationship and strong ties between Norwegian and Miami, which has been the company’s home since its launch in 1966. Pending the final approval by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, the project will commence in May 2018, and is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2019, as Norwegian Encore, the newest ship of the Breakaway Plus class, makes her debut in Miami with seasonal cruises to the Caribbean.

“Norwegian has been sailing from Miami for over fifty years, longer than any other cruise line, and we are honored to be partnering with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County to construct an iconic terminal that will contribute to Miami’s world famous skyline and strengthen its position as the Cruise Capital of the World,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “This terminal marks the latest step in our continual efforts to strengthen our presence in strategic home ports around the world. We look forward to welcoming Norwegian Encore and the thousands of guests sailing on Norwegian Cruise Line and her sister brands to this state-of-the-art terminal.”

Norwegian is widely recognized for introducing modern-day cruising more than 50 years ago, by transforming a common means of transportation to a new style of vacation with its first Caribbean voyages out of the port of Miami and launching the city’s status as the “cruising capital of the world.” As a result of the continued relationship, Miami-Dade County will invest $100 million to build a new terminal dedicated to Norwegian Cruise Line, with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. augmenting the county’s allocated funds with its own contribution to PortMiami, as was unveiled today at a press conference held at the 2018 Seatrade Cruise Global exhibition.

“Investing in PortMiami’s infrastructure positions Miami as a global destination for visitors,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “The construction of a new cruise terminal with the capacity to berth an additional 5,000-passenger cruise ship represents thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are grateful for Norwegian Cruise Line’s continued partnership.”

“PortMiami is proud to be recognized as the Cruise Capital of the World, welcoming more passengers than any other port in the world,” said Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Economic Development and Tourism Committee Rebeca Sosa. “Norwegian Cruise Line’s partnership is a big win for the growth and expansion of tourism in Miami-Dade County. We are honored by our partner’s commitment to PortMiami and Miami-Dade County.”

Globally recognized for their award-winning designs and projects around the world, the Miami-based firm of Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc., was selected to design the new terminal. The project will be constructed to LEED Silver standards, focusing on innovation in design and terminal operation to create a platform that will optimize energy performance, indoor air quality, water efficiencies and maximize the use of local materials and resources. After the press conference, attendees were able to get a close-up look of the new terminal through an interactive 3D virtual reality experience and model on display.

“The new Norwegian terminal will set the standard for passenger comfort and experience and will become an iconic building on Miami’s waterfront, a true representation of the role that Norwegian and PortMiami played as the pioneers of modern cruising,” says Luis Ajamil, president and chief executive officer of Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc.

The modern terminal draws its inspiration from a nautilus, with its spiraled and multi-level façade, opening up to grand ocean views. Once complete it will be the new “pearl” of Miami, redefining the landscape of the city’s skyline. Innovative lighting, inviting indoor and outdoor waiting areas and other guest-centric elements will enhance the overall passenger experience. At nearly 166,500 square feet, the debuting Norwegian terminal will accommodate ships of up to 5,000 passengers, and feature new technology to support faster and more efficient embarkation and disembarkation processes, as well as expedited security screening and luggage check-in. A dedicated lounge and service area will facilitate a warm and welcoming sense of arrival for large groups and charters, and a new parking garage, and valet parking area with direct access to the terminal and lounge are also scheduled to be completed.

Norwegian Cruise Line maintains an ongoing commitment to Miami, offering new and enhanced itineraries and ships for guests to discover year round with the freedom and flexibility they can only experience with Norwegian at sea. For additional information or to book a cruise aboard one of Norwegian’s newest ships, contact a travel professional, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit www.ncl.com.

One way to describe Royal Caribbean’s new gift to the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami is to multiply the number of gallons of seawater in its three-level aquarium – 500,000 – by $2, and then throw in some more for good measure.

For that neighborly largesse – a total $1.2 million – the top level is now known as the Royal Caribbean Vista, a place where visitors can look eye-to-eye with hammerhead sharks and learn about mangroves, a coastal plant that actually likes saltwater.

“Miami has been our home for nearly 50 years,” says Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “It has been wonderful to see and be a part of what Frost Science has built to better serve our community.

“We are delighted to help the museum deepen Miami’s connection with the environment and our unique ecosystem.”

That encompasses the Gulf Stream, coral reefs, mangrove forests, sandy shores, the Everglades and Florida Bay, all of which is represented in the museum and some of which can be seen from the expansive, sheltered outdoor deck surrounding the aquarium’s open surface.

In announcing RCL’s gift, the museum also says it will team up with the cruiseline on several initiatives including habitat restoration and support for community access.

Another primary draw for the museum is a 3D planetarium that allows 250 viewers under its 67-foot dome to view more than the celestial bodies that once were the sole purview of such facilities.

Frost Science’s version allows visitors to explore things as small as human DNA and brain synapses and as massive as Jupiter and other planets.

“New advances in projection technology can take us into the human body or the depths of the ocean,” the museum’s curator of astronomy, Dr. Jorge Perez-Gallego, told Sound & Communications, an AV tech company. “So, we can talk about many different aspects and fields of science. “We can see the moon, and we can go to Mars and Jupiter. We can also go beyond the solar system and peer into the galaxy. We’re very happy to have one of the best planetariums in the world,” one of just 13 like it around the globe.

The aquarium, which now carries the Royal Caribbean imprimatur on its top level, allows visitors on the lowest tier to watch the varied life forms inside through an enormous oculus up through all three levels to the open sky above.

Since it opened nearly a year ago, Frost Science has attracted more than 750,000 guests, already making it one of the most visited institutions in South Florida.

“Contributions from major corporations and local industries allow Frost Science to continue creating compelling informal science experiences that inspire learning and innovation,” says Frank Steslow, the museum’s president and CEO. “This generous funding will enhance the museum’s ability to develop and execute world-class exhibitions, programs and curriculums on a global scale.”

Besides explorations of the sea and sky, much of the rest of the facility is dedicated to a panoply of other aspects in the world of science. For more information, visit Frost Science’s website.

Carnival Cruise Line announced today that Chris Chiames has been named to the newly created role of vice president and chief communications officer (CCO) following a nationwide search. Chiames is reporting directly to Carnival President Christine Duffy.

As CCO, Chiames serves as a key advisor to Carnival’s leadership team and is responsible for corporate reputation management, internal and external communications, issues management, executive communications and other communications that enhance the brand and reputation of Carnival Cruise Line.

“Chris is a hands-on communications leader and strategist with more than 30 years of experience in travel and tourism,” said Duffy. “With his vast experience and fresh perspective, we expect Chris will set a new standard of excellence for Carnival’s global communications function.”

Most recently, Chiames served as senior vice president of corporate communications at Sabre Corporation and prior to that was vice president of corporate affairs at Orbitz Worldwide. He previously held government relations and communications positions for Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. airlines, which led to more than 15 years of work in the airline industry, including communications leadership positions for both American Airlines and US Airways. Chiames began his career in Washington, DC as press secretary to then-U.S. Congressman Tony Coelho (D-California).

“It’s an exciting time to join the Carnival team as the company brings fun to more than five million guests each year,” said Chiames. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to create a world-class communications function that supports the overall business as Carnival continues to grow.”

Chiames earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from Fresno State University. He also holds a master of public administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.

Today is Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Carnival Cruise Line invited its guests to “Choose Fun” and celebrated the beloved children’s with a variety of fun and festive events that are part of Seuss at Sea, the line’s exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Families enjoyed birthday celebrations aboard each ship, complete with Dr. Seuss-themed treats, fun giveaways, a balloon drop in the atrium, appearances by The Cat in the Hat and more.

Today’s festivities complement the many activities offered in Seuss at Sea, a fleetwide program featuring exciting youth, family, dining and entertainment experiences inspired by the amazing world and words of Dr. Seuss. The program includes such fun activities as the Seuss-a-palooza Parade and Story Time and The Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in The Hat and Friends, as well as character interactions, Dr. Seuss toys and games and popular movies shown on board.